Increasing my weight loss goal to make myself go to the gym

CaffeineAssisted

So I will start by saying I love to cook so food has always been important to me, but I think I loved it a little too much for too long. :ohwell:

So I started my goal at losing 2 pounds per week in the beginning (mid July 2012) but felt like I wasn't able to eat as much as I wanted so I decreased it to 1.5 pounds a week. When I did this though, I stopped feeling like I needed to exercise/go to the gym because I could already eat ~1640 calories so that gave me enough variety of foods without feeling that I had to "give anything up".

However, I am now changing it back to losing 2 pounds a week because I am hoping it will force me to go to the gym because I would really like to have those few extra calories. I haven't been to the gym in about two and a half to three weeks now. I know I need to go to the gym and I am thinking this is the only way I can trick myself into going.

Has anyone ever done this or felt like this before? Did you change your weight loss goals and go to the gym more?

KANGOOJUMPS

both hubby and i LOVE to cook,,,,,, i do not go to a gym, just do it all my own,,, but i know what you mean!,, I try extra hard to get my exercise in!

MelanieAG05

It sounds like you don't really enjoy going to the gym/exercising.......so why force yourself to do it? It would be better to find a sport/physical activity like a dance class (Zumba etc) which you actually enjoy doing in order to get exercise.

rogerbosch

I think it's a good goal... and once you see results coming off, you'll start to get hooked!

lacroyx

Does it have to be the gym? I noticed in your profile you are from the same area as I am. I love going outside on hikes, walk, jogs. Many beautiful trails to see and experience. I hate being inside a gym to use a dreadmill, ellipticals, etc etc. I only go to the gym for things I can't do outside. Swim, Zumba, and lift weights. Everything else I go outside and do. Also everything I do, I enjoy. It doesn't need to be tied into a gym.

dad106

Weight loss isn't liner... so even if you set it to 1.5 pounds a week, depending on your calorie deficit for the week, you may wind up losing more/less then 1.5 pounds a week.

My suggestion is to set it back to 1.5 pounds a week, eat like you want, and exercise how you want.

You don't need to go to the gym for exercise at all.. only if you want to. I go to the gym because thats where I lift weights, but I prefer to run outside unless it's uber freezing or raining.

katevarner

Don't have to go to the gym, but you do have to move. Long walks will do as much to burn calories. Find something you enjoy doing. Then play with your calories. Start at the 2 lb per week level if you want, then add calories until you aren't hungry unless it stalls your loss. If you want to change the rest of your life, it's a slow process, but unless you plan to restrict your eating permanently, need to find some activity to burn the calories you eat.

CaffeineAssisted

Yeah, you guys are probably right. I really don't like going to the gym that much. I actually walk a lot more now because I don't have a car and as someone mentioned live in a really nice place to walk (Seattle). It took me a few weeks to be in good enough shape to enjoy walking. I still need to increase my walking a bit. I have a pedometer and try to get between 7,500 to 10,000 steps a day. I just got a HRM and will try that out too, because with my anxiety too I have trouble with my heart racing sometimes so I have to keep it in check

My problem with the gym is that sometimes, for some odd reason, it will set off my anxiety worse than just walking. It's been like that for a long time. In high school I played sports year round and still never liked gyms and would prefer to be outside playing. I wish I were in good enough shape to join a club lacrosse or soccer team, but I am still at least 20-30 lbs away from being in shape enough to do that.

The drop in calorie intake is pretty significant between 1.5 and 2 lbs weight loss per week. It's 1640 versus 1380 so I don't know if I could keep up with the 1380 without being hungry. I still haven't found my perfect activity level yet either. I tried sedentary for a few weeks and was losing too much weight and was really hungry and moody, so I bumped it up to lightly active. With that logic though, dropping from 1.5 lbs to 2 lbs a week may have the same effect that having too low of an activity level did.

Weight loss involves so many factors, but I definitely want this to be a lifelong thing so I think I will try the 1.5 lbs for another few weeks and just walk more since I do enjoy it.